MINDFUL - event reminder and password manager software

Mindful combines an Event Reminder and a Password Manager in a simple system tray application.

Mindful^TM was primarily designed to help you remember important facts that are often too easy to forget. That is why its two main features consist of an Event Reminder and a Password Manager. However, Mindful also provides many other related tools including a perpetual mini calendar, date calculator, random password generator, countdown timer and keyboard string parser.

Mindful starts automatically each time you start your computer. When minimized, it remains in the notification area (system tray) ready for you to use at any time. From there you can restore it by clicking its icon or by pressing its activation global hot key (default is CTRL+SHIFT+M). When you right-click the Mindful icon in the notification area, a shortcut menu appears with commands to access Mindful's main features and tools directly.

Mindful is simple, but loaded with features and tools that can be used day after day, all year long. It is optimized to consume very few resources and resides in the notification area when minimized.

Many software companies will charge you more for a software product that does only one of the two main features found in Mindful. But Mindful combines these two major features and many other related tools into one inexpensive software product that will not break your bank or consume much of your so precious computer resources.

Starting with version 2.1, we have also released a new edition of Mindful and Mindful Lite for U3. You can now carry Mindful (or Mindfu Lite) on your U3 smart device with the new Mindful for U3 and Mindful Lite for U3 editions.

The event reminder in Mindful helps you remember appointments, meetings, anniversaries, statutory holidays, TV shows, payments due or any other events that occur over time - repeatedly or not - and that you don't want to miss. In addition to defining your own events, Mindful allows you to select from a list of 72 pre-defined events including many Canadian, American and Jewish holidays.

On startup, Mindful reads your event list and then either minimizes itself to the notification area (system tray) or displays your event list according to your preferences and the status of your events. You can choose to have your list of events always displayed at startup, never displayed at startup, or displayed at startup only if one or more events are due for notice (require your attention).

If you leave your computer running overnight, Mindful refreshes your list of events at the beginning of each day so that recurring events can be automatically rolled forward to their next occurrence as necessary. Mindful then displays a desktop alert above its icon in the notification area to notify you of this update.

The Mindful icon in the notification area displays the current day of the month (1 .. 31). The current day appears in red, yellow or green depending on the status of your events. If you have one or more past-due events, the day is displayed in red. If you do not have any past-due events, but you have some non-cleared events due in the current day, the day is displayed in yellow. Otherwise, the day is displayed in green.

You can quickly check your next event due at any time by positioning the mouse pointer over the Mindful icon in the notification area.

Roll forward clearance
By default, a recurring event is automatically rolled forward to its next occurrence each time an occurrence of that event passes. However, since each event must be cleared before it can be rolled forward, you can prevent this default behavior from happening on specific events simply by turning off the auto-clear option of those events.

For example, you may want to confirm that you paid a monthly bill before the event for that bill is rolled forward to the next month. In this case, the event will continue to appear in your list of events due for notice (even if the actual event date has passed) until you manually clear that event.

Recurring events can also be manually rolled forward to their next occurrence ahead of time as needed. For example, you may have created an event for the due date of a monthly bill but you don't want to see this item at the top of your event list once you have sent a payment for that bill, even if the bill due date has not yet passed. By manually rolling the event forward to its next occurrence, this item is immediately repositioned further down in your event list according to its next occurrence date.

Event age calculator
The age of a person (or event) can be calculated automatically and displayed in the description of an event simply by adding the year of birth (or original event year) in square brackets into the event name.

For example, if the name of an event is set to "John's [1967] Birthday", this item will appear as "John's 42nd Birthday" in your list of events (assuming of course in this case that John's next birthday will occur in 2009).

One-time events
Mindful also supports one-time events that can be deleted automatically once passed or kept for future reference, according to your preferences. Keeping a one-time event for future reference can be useful to remember when was the last time the event occurred, such as when was the last time you had an eye exam.

Event alarms
Event alarms go one step further in notifying you of events. By setting the alarm of an event, you can have an action executed automatically at a precise time on the day the event occurs. Possible actions include displaying a popup window with (or without) a countdown timer for a preset number of minutes, executing a file, or opening an Internet link or URL. A sound is also played when the alarm goes off and when the countdown timer (where applicable) reaches zero.

Color-coded events
All events in Mindful are color-coded according to their status and their point in time. By default, past-due events appear in bold red, passed (and cleared) events appear in blue, current day events appear in red, events due for notice appear in orange and other future events appear in green in your list of events. You can customize the font color and style of each event status according to your preferences.

Event notes
Each event can have its own notes. These notes can be useful to remind you of additional information about an event that is not part of the event name itself. For example, the notes for the anniversary of a friend can include their mailing address so you can mail them a birthday card.

Passwords are sequences of characters that a user must input in order to gain access to a file, application, private account or computer system. Because passwords alone have no real meaning, we refer to passwords together with the information to which they relate as 'user accounts' in Mindful.

A user account includes the information that you need to locate and logon to a specific web site or password-protected software application. Mindful protects this information using a 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard; the kind of encryption adopted as a standard by the US Government.

The password manager in Mindful provides a secure central repository for all your user accounts. Instead of using the same password over and over again for all your Internet accounts and password-protected software applications, you can use complex passwords that differ between user accounts, making it much safer than using the same password for all your user accounts without the need to remember any of them except your master password, which gives you access to your entire user account list.

The password manager also includes an auto-logon feature. Mindful allows you to quickly open the link to any of your user accounts' logon page or form, and then complete your logon simply by pressing a global hot key.

Mini calendar Mindful includes a mini perpetual calendar that you can consult at any time while Mindful itself is running (loaded into memory). To display many months at once, simply resize the mini calendar window. As the size of the calendar window increases, more months are added to it. New columns are added as the width of the window increases and new rows are added as the height increases. Mindful remembers the height and width of the calendar window as you resize it, so you don't have to resize the window again each time it is displayed, even after closing and re-starting Mindful.

Date calculator The date calculator in Mindful has two purposes. It can calculate the number of days between two dates, or calculate a date by adding/subtracting a number of days to/from another date. Change any of the two dates (Date 1 or Date 2) to see the number of days between them in Days, or change Days to have this value (positive or negative) added to Date 1 with the result displayed in Date 2.

Countdown timer Whether you have something to pick up at the front desk in five minutes, your favorite show starts in ten minutes or you want to let your eggs boil for three minutes, you can count on this simple utility to help you make sure you are on time. Simply set the time to countdown, click Start, and let the timer do the rest. A progress bar is filled as the time progresses and a sound is played when the timer reaches zero.

Random password generator
The Random Password Generator in Mindful allows you to generate complex random passwords. See Random Password Generator for more information.

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Following is a brief description of the new features and enhancements in Mindful version 2. A full description of these features and enhancements can be found in the online help installed with the program.

User Account / Password Manager

The password manager is probably the greatest new feature that you will find in Mindful version 2. You can now save your logon information for any online user accounts and password protected applications, and log on to them with a couple of clicks and a simple shortcut key.

Instead of having to remember many logon id's and passwords, you only have to remember one master password. All your other logon details are stored in a highly secure file that can only be accessed with the master password that you have set for it.

See Mindful as a Password Manager for more information.

Random Password Generator

A password manager would not be complete without a random password generator. This tool allows you to generate complex random passwords. You decide the password length and the characters to use to generate virtually impossible to guess random passwords.

EVENT ENHANCEMENTS

Event Groups

No more browsing through a lengthy list of events just to find a specific one. With Mindful version 2, you can group your events in a way that makes sense to you and that makes finding a specific event easier and faster. For example, you can have a group for anniversaries, one for appointments, one for statutory holidays, one for payments due, etc.

Event group maintenance is completely transparent; when you assign an event to a non-existing group, the group is automatically created. In the same way, when all events of a group are removed, the group is automatically removed also. You never have to worry about creating or deleting event groups; Mindful automatically takes care of it for you.

Groups appear in the Event Filter Selection list (see preceding picture). To see all the events of a specific group, simply select that group in the Event Filter Selection list.

Improved Edit Options
With Mindful version 2, you are no longer required to go through each page of the event details wizard just to apply a simple change to an event. Each major characteristic of an event can now be modified separately.

Timed Events
In Mindful version 2, user-defined events have a time characteristic that allows you to set the exact time of an event where applicable (e.g. appointments, coffee breaks, TV shows, etc.). Events of a same day are further sorted by time in your list of events. By default, the time of an event is 12:00am (midnight), which represents a non-timed event (e.g. anniversaries, statutory holidays, etc.).

Refresh Option
After clearing one or more events, you can refresh your event list with the click of a button. All passed recurring events that have been cleared will be rolled forward to their next occurrence immediately.

Duplicate Option
This option allows you to use an event as a template to create a new one.

Export Option
You can now export your list of events (partial or complete) to a comma separated value (CSV) file.

Weekend day and week day options in formulated events
You can now create formulated events using the weekend day and week day options. For example, you can set an event to occur on the first week day of each month.

Startup Mode
Since different users have different preferences on what should happen when Mindful starts, we have created a new option that allows you to select your own startup mode. The three possible startup modes are

• Start normal if some events are due for notice, otherwise start minimized
• Always start minimized
• Always start normal (default)

Icon Status
In addition to displaying the current day of the month (introduced in Mindful version 1.2.5), Mindful version 2 also selects a different font color to display that day depending on the status of your events.

If one or more events are past-due (passed but not cleared), the current day is displayed in red. In other words, red means that one or more events need your immediate attention.

If no events are past-due, but you have one or more events not cleared in the current day, then the day is displayed in yellow; some kind of a warning to let you know that an event will become past-due very soon.

If neither of these conditions is met, the day is displayed in green.

GLOBAL HOT KEYS
Global hot keys are key combinations (e.g. CTRL+SHIFT+M) that when pressed together perform a specific action regardless of the application currently having the focus in Windows.

Mindful version 2 allows you to define and use a number of global hot keys that will perform specific actions when pressed as follows:

Mindful activation hot key (default is CTRL+SHIFT+M)
Allows you to restore Mindful (bring it to front) when minimized to the notification area or hidden behind other windows.

Auto-logon hot key (default is CTRL+SHIFT+L)
Allows you to log on to a user account selected in your user account list without having to type any logon information (i.e the action of the auto-logon hot key is to type the logon details for you). This hot key works conjointly with the password manager.

Account password hot key (default is CTRL+SHIFT+P)
Similar to the auto-logon global hot key, this global hot key enters only the password part of your logon details. Also works conjointly with the password manager.

Keyboard string shortcuts
Allows you to define any number of hot keys associated to unique strings that are entered automatically into the current entry box of a form or window. For example, if you have to type your name often in web forms or software applications, you can set CTRL+SHIFT+N as a global hot key to type your name automatically each time this key combination is pressed.

Mindful remembers your global hot key settings between sessions, so you don't have to reset them each time you start the program.

NEW FILE MENU OPTIONS

New
Allows you to create a new Mindful file.

Open
Allows you to re-open a previously saved Mindful file.

Save Copy as
Allows you to save a copy of the current Mindful file under a different name and/or location.

Information (version 2.1 and up)
Provides specific information about the Mindful data file currently in use.

If you are upgrading your copy of Mindful from version 1 to version 2, please be aware of the following:

New Edition Names
In Mindful version 1, the free edition of Mindful was simply called 'Mindful' and the paid edition was called 'Mindful SE'. In version 2, the free edition is called 'Mindful Lite' and the paid edition is called 'Mindful'.

Mindful Lite Limitations
In version 2, the free edition (Mindful Lite) provides all the features that are included in the paid edition. However, the number of events and user accounts that can be created with the free edition is limited to 12 (12 events and 12 user accounts).

If you are upgrading from Mindful version 1 (paid or free) to Mindful 2 Lite, and already have more than 12 events created, you will not be able to edit those events or create new ones until you either delete enough events to bring your event count down to 12 or less, or upgrade to the standard (paid) edition.

Coexistence of 2 versions on the same computer
Mindful version 1 (free or paid) and Mindful version 2 (free or paid) can coexist on the same computer. However, only one instance of Mindful can run on your computer at any given time; while Mindful version 1 is running, you won't be able to start Mindful 2.

If Mindful or Mindful SE version 1 is installed on your computer, you don't have to uninstall it prior to installing Mindful or Mindful Lite version 2. However, please make sure that you do not install version 2 in the same folder as version 1.

Once Mindful 2 is installed on your computer, Mindful 1 will no longer load automatically on system startup, but Mindful 2 will. If you later uninstall Mindful 2 from your computer, Mindful 1 should resume loading automatically again on system startup.

Event File Backward Compatibility
Please keep in mind that although Mindful version 2 can read event files created with Mindful version 1, the reverse is not possible; Mindful version 1 can NOT read files created (or updated) with Mindful version 2.

Close Button Behavior Change
In version 1 (Mindful and Mindful SE), we had to deal with conflicting user preferences for the Close button on Mindful main window. While Windows standards indicate that the purpose of the Close button on the caption bar of an application main window is to close that application, some users expressed their preference for this button to minimize the application to the notification area instead of closing it.

By default, Mindful (as well as Mindful Lite) version 2 follows Windows standards as explained above, but if you prefer to have the application minimized to the notification area when you click the Close button, you can change this behavior with a new application preference that we have created for this purpose.

There are two differences between Mindful Lite and Mindful (standard edition).

1. The number of events and user accounts that you can create with Mindful Lite is limited to 12 (12 events and 12 user accounts).

2. Mindful Lite is free for anyone to use indefinitely. Mindful (standard edition) on the other hand is free to try for 30 days, but requires the purchase a license to continue using it beyond the 30-day evaluation period.

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A USB flash drive is a small, portable flash memory card that plugs into the USB port of a computer and acts as a portable storage device (hard drive). USB flash drives are known as being easy-to-use as they are small enough to be carried in a pocket and can plug into any computer with a USB port. A U3 smart device is a USB flash drive with additional functionality. Software applications can be installed on U3 smart devices and run directly from them while the device is plugged into the USB port of any computer that supports the U3 technology (e.g. Windows XP, Vista and 7).

Starting with version 2.1, Mindful and Mindful Lite are now available in their respective U3 edition. The U3 edition of Mindful (or Mindful Lite) can be installed on a U3 smart device and run directly from it.

Please note that the installation file is different between the PC (Personal Computer) and U3 editions of Mindful and Mindful Lite. Also, each permanent installation of Mindful requires its own single-user license.

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• 486DX, 66MHz or higher processor
• Windows® 98, Me, NT4, 2000, XP, Vista or 7
• 7MB available RAM recommended
• 3MB available hard disk space

• Personal Computer running Windows® XP, Vista or 7
• 7MB available RAM recommended
• U3 smart device with 3MB available disk space

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The latest version of Mindful (and Mindful Lite) is 2.2. For a list of changes in this version and a complete history of prior versions, please see mfhistory.txt.

There are 2 kinds of upgrades for Mindful 2 Lite and Mindful 2 (standard edition); minor and major.

Minor Upgrade
A minor upgrade (also called 'update') consists of updating the current version of a specific edition of Mindful already installed on your computer to include its most recent modifications. For example, upgrading from Mindful version 2.1 to Mindful version 2.2 (or from Mindful Lite 2.1 to Mindful Lite 2.2). Minor upgrades are always free. To apply a minor upgrade, all you have to do is install the most current version of Mindful 2 (or Mindful 2 Lite) over the one already installed on your computer. Simply follow the installation instructions below to do so.

NOTE: Upgrading from Mindful Lite 2.x to Mindful 2.x (standard edition) is a major upgrade; not a minor upgrade.

Major Upgrade
A major upgrade consists of upgrading from any other version and/or edition of Mindful to Mindful 2 (standard edition). You need to pay a small one-time fee to purchase a license for this kind of upgrade. If you own a registered copy of Mindful SE (version 1), you should be eligible for a discount when you upgrade to Mindful version 2.x (standard edition). See Order Information for more information.

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IMPORTANT
The following instructions will only work for the installation of Mindful or Mindful Lite on a personal computer (desktop or laptop). To install Mindful or Mindful Lite on a U3 smart device, please see the Installation instructions for U3 smart devices.

If Mindful or Mindful SE version 1 is installed on your computer, please read the section entitled Notes for Version 1 Users above prior to installing Mindful or Mindful Lite version 2 on your computer.

To install Mindful or Mindful Lite version 2 on your computer:

1. If Mindful (any version or edition) is currently running on your computer, close it. To close Mindful, click Exit on the Application menu.

2. Click one of the following links to download the installation file for the edition of Mindful that you want to install:
   • Mindful 2 (standard edition)
   • Mindful 2 Lite

   Depending on your web browser, you may be prompted to either open, run or save the installation file. Click Save to save the installation file on your computer in a folder of your choice.

3. Once the download is complete, if there is an Open or Run button displayed on the download dialog then click it to open (run) the installation file. Otherwise take note of the location where the installation file was saved and then run it from that location either through Windows Explorer (locate and double-click the installation file name) or through the Windows' Run command (click the Windows Start button and then click Run, provide the complete path of the installation file, and click OK).

4. Follow the installation file instructions to complete the installation.

5. Share the excitement. Tell your friends and relatives about Mindful.

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IMPORTANT
The following instructions will only work for the installation of Mindful or Mindful Lite on a U3 smart device. To install Mindful (or Mindful Lite) directly on your computer (desktop or laptop), please see the Installation instruction for personal computers.

To install Mindful or Mindful Lite version 2 on your U3 smart device:

1. Insert your U3 smart device into a USB port on your computer.

2. If the U3 Launchpad is not set to start automatically, then start it manually (run LaunchU3.exe on the first of the two drives created when the U3 smart device was inserted into the USB port on your computer).

3. If Mindful (any version or edition) is currently running on your computer, close it. To close Mindful, click Exit on the Application menu.

4. Click one of the following links to download the installation file for the edition of Mindful that you want to install on your U3 smart device:
   • Mindful 2 (standard edition)
   • Mindful 2 Lite

   Depending on your web browser, you may be prompted to either open, run or save the installation file. Click Save to save the installation file on your computer in a folder of your choice and take note of the location where the file is being saved. You will need to navigate to that file in step 7 below.

5. Click the U3 icon in the notification area (system tray) to display the U3 Launchpad menu.

6. Select Add Programs and then click Install from My Computer.

7. Navigate to the location where the installation file for Mindful (or Mindful Lite) was downloaded in step 4 above, select it and click Open.

8. Follow the installation file instructions to complete the installation.

9. Share the excitement. Tell your friends and relatives about Mindful.

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Mindful (standard edition) is free to try for 30 days, but requires the payment of a low one-time license fee to continue using it beyond its 30-day evaluation period.

If you purchased a license for Midnful SE version 1 in the past, you may be eligible for a discount to upgrade to Mindful version 2 (standard edition). You can check your discount eligibility at http://www.felitec.com/mfup.php. Please note that the upgrade discount is for a limited time only.

To purchase a single-user license for Mindful 2 PC or U3 edition, please click here. Within one business day from receiving your order, we will send you an email with your license details and the instructions to unlock your copy of Mindful 2 permanently.

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